The Approaching Storm
by Vicky Ocean
Summary: The galaxy intrudes on Karrde and Shada's retirement. Part 13 of the Scenes From A Peculiar Affair series.
1. Chapter 1

About a year and a half after _Shifting Sands_

* * *

Karrde lounged at the table on the terrace sipping a glass of wine as he watched the scene taking place on the lush lawn leading out to the lake. Shada was instructing three adolescent girls in the finer points of unarmed self defense and they were trying their best to master the move she'd just shown them with varying results.

He heard the door to the house slide open and glanced back to see Aves stepping out onto the terrace, stretching and yawning. "Good afternoon," Karrde told him. Aves had gotten in late last night and they'd already been in bed by the time he'd arrived.

"Is it? I'm starved."

"We'll have lunch as soon as Shada is done."

The two young vornskrs that had been laying by Karrde's feet got up and went to Aves wagging their stubby tails and cackle-purring at him demanding attention.

"Okay, boys, I see you." Aves reached down petting the two vornskrs until they were satisfied and went to lay by Karrde again, keeping their eyes fixed on Shada and the girls. "They've gotten big."

"They're almost full grown now." When Karrde and Shada had entered their semi-retirement, he'd decided to raise another pair of vornskrs. He'd missed Sturm and Drang after their deaths and had often contemplated acquiring another pair, but never quite found the time. Now he had the leisure to raise and train them.

Aves sat at the table and snagged a couple of rolls from the warmer on the table to munch on while they waited for Shada. Karrde poured him a glass of wine and Aves looked around taking in his surroundings. "Nice scenery," Aves commented between bites.

Karrde cast a look at Aves uncertain as to whether he was speaking of the impressive view of the gardens and the lake beyond or his wife who was dressed in tight purple workout clothes and moved with acrobatic grace as she was demonstrating a kick. "Yes, it is," Karrde agreed on both counts.

"You pick up some new strays?" Aves asked, indicating to Shada's students.

"No, they live on the neighboring estate. Shada's been teaching them self defense."

"She get tired of taking her aggressive energy out on you?" Aves smirked at Karrde.

"Not quite. I may have suggested they ask her for lessons."

"Suggested? You mean bribed?"

"Something like that." Karrde was a little embarrassed to admit it, but that's exactly what he'd done. "They used to sit on the wall and watch us spar anyway. Now they can't get enough."

Aves laughed, nearly choking on a mouthful of bread. "You bribed little girls to workout with your wife?"

"I needed a break," he argued. "I've never been so fit in my life as I am now. It's hard work being the sole focus of her energy."

Aves laughed. "You live such a tough life, boss. Ready to come out of retirement yet?"

"No. I've never been so happy."

Aves nodded, giving him a pleased look and turned his attention back to Shada and the girls. "She's very good with them. How come you two haven't had any of your own yet?"

"The nice thing about your neighbor's children is that you can send them home when they grow tiresome," Karrde pointed out. "Besides being rather old for it, neither of us have ever particularly wanted children." He smiled slyly at Aves. "And why aren't there any little Aveses and Faughns running around the _Starry Ice_?"

Aves shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable. "Same reason I guess."

The lesson seemed to be over. The girls waved and called out, "Goodbye, Captain Karrde!"

Karrde returned their wave and the girls ran across the garden to the wall, quickly climbing up over it using the clinging vines.

"They'd be good little commandos," Aves commented impressed.

"I think they want to be Shada when they grow up. She tries her best to discourage such notions, but they idolize her."

Shada walked up the lawn toward them picking up a light tunic from one of the garden benches and pulling it on over her head. The vornksrs stood and greeted her as she began to climb the steps to the terrace. She gave them a quick pet. "Aves," she smiled. "I thought you were going to sleep all day."

"Hunger woke me at last." He got up and hugged her. "Shada, I don't think retirement agrees with you. You've obviously been spending too much time with Karrde. You're even starting to look like him." Aves grinned as he reached up and stroked the white streak that ran down the center of her dark hair.

Shada gave him a sharp smack on the shoulder. "You'd better watch it."

"Ow." He rubbed his shoulder, still grinning. "Is that any way to treat a guest?"

"Aves, I apologize," Karrde put in. "I should have warned you. Shada's a touch sensitive about her new look."

"You'd better watch it too." She gave him a playful thump on the shoulder that turned into a caress. "Let's eat."

They sat down to lunch, exchanging small talk about the members of the organization and various other acquaintances. They would get down to business later.

"So where's Chin?" Aves asked. "I figured he'd be joining us."

Chin had decided to retire along with Karrde and Shada. He lived in the guest house on the estate, helping to train the vornskrs and acting as caretaker when they were away traveling.

"He's out with his lady friend," Karrde told him.

"His lady friend?" Aves asked surprised. "Do tell. How come I'm just hearing about it now?"

"It wasn't our news to tell," Shada said with a teasing grin.

"Oh, c'mon. Don't give me that. Who is she?"

"She's a xenobiologist at the university," she replied. "They met while Chin was out walking the vornskrs one day. She was curious about them and they hit it off."

"We actually don't see much of him at all anymore," Karrde added.

"Way to go, Chin."

"You'll get to meet her at dinner tonight," Shada assured him.

"I can't wait."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I apologize for the delay in posting, but my laptop died a while ago. I probably won't be able to post again until I get my new laptop at Christmas.

* * *

**Part 2**

"Excellent job, Aves," Karrde told him as he leaned back in his chair. Karrde had never been shy about praising his people's performance when it was warranted. Shada suspected that was one of the reasons they were so fiercely loyal to him. And Aves had done a very good job at running the organization since Karrde's semi-retirement. This quarter's report showed proof of his continued good work.

Aves beamed at the praise. "Thanks, boss." Then his expression shifted back to seriousness. "I do have one more thing." He reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a battered datacard case. He tapped it against his hand almost nervously. "This is sort of strange. It came by way of Moranda Savich. She was very insistant that no one but you should see this information. We scanned it, of course, for any surprises, but it's just datacards." He set the case down on Karrde's desk and slid it toward him.

Karrde picked it up and examined it. It was sealed and there were no identifying marks. "Did she say where it came from?"

"She said she couldn't say. Her exact words were 'I cannot say who gave me this.' I tried to press her." He shrugged. "But you know how Moranda is."

"Yes." Karrde glanced up and met Shada's eyes. A feeling of dread overcame her. There was no way whatever was in that datacard case could be good news. She produced a small wicked looking knife and he used it to cut the seal off. He opened the case and it was full of data cards. He selected a datacard and was about to insert it into his datapad when a knock came on the office door, before it opened to reveal Chin.

Aves stood, excited to see his old friend and embraced Chin in a backpounding hug. "What's this I hear about a lady friend?"

Shada got up from her chair and went behind the desk to Karrde. "We should probably get dressed. We'll have to leave for dinner shortly."

He glanced at his chrono and then the datacard in his hand. "I suppose you're right."

She could see the reluctance in his expression as he replaced the datacard in the case and locked it up in the drawer of his desk.

Shada smiled and ran a caressing hand across his shoulders. "It will still be here after dinner."

Karrde gave a little sigh, a wry smile twisting his lips. "I know."

* * *

Karrde left Shada in their bedroom as she finished getting dressing. He could hear Aves and Chin catching up in the common room. Instead of joining them, he went into his office and sat down at his desk. He unlocked the drawer and pulled out the mysterious datacard case. He inserted the first disk into the datapad and pulled up what looked like a variety of tactical data from a battle.

Karrde jumped when he felt a touch on his shoulder and his hand went to his blaster. He relaxed when he heard Shada's laughter. "Deep in thought, eh?"

"More like confusion. Look at this." He pointed to the screen. "Have you ever seen ships like this?"

She leaned, bracing an arm on the back of his chair to study the recording. "No, they look like rocks or asteroids. Maybe some new type of disguise or cloaking, though I can't imagine why. The closest comparison are perhaps the Aing-Tii ships, but not quite."

"Yes, that was my thought as well." He sighed glancing at his chrono, reluctant to leave the mystery, but it was time to go.

"Did you figure out who sent it?"

"Not really. I suspect one of our friends connected with the New Republic. This data is from a battle involving their ships." He locked the datacards back up and stood, his gaze focusing on Shada for the first time since she entered.

She was wearing a deep red dress cut slightly off the shoulders with the ruby jewelry he's given her several years ago for Fete. Her hair was up in an elaborate arrangement of curls secured by zenji needles matching her dress. He smiled, "You look beautiful, my darling."

It always amused him to see that even after all these years she still blushed a little when he complimented her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"What was that for?"

"You being you."

She gave him a faintly irritated look and slipped her arm through his. "You are far too sappy sometimes, Talon."

He grinned. "And you're the only person in the galaxy who knows that."

"I wonder how much I could get for information like that."

* * *

Karrde started to pull away from her as they walked into the house, "I'm going to-"

Shada held onto him and leaned into his side. "You're going to come to bed with me," she told him firmly. She reached up and stroked his bearded cheek. She had a bad feeling that the information that was on those datacards would change the life they had built here and she wanted one last night before their contentment was over.

He smiled and turned his head slightly, kissing her palm. "I'm coming to bed with you."

Later that night, Shada wasn't surprised to wake and find herself alone in bed. Karrde had been restless when he had been there after they'd made love. She lay there a while trying to go back asleep, but she couldn't rest easy. So she got up and donned her robe and slippers. There was no sense in avoiding the inevitable now.

Karrde was exactly where she knew he'd be. In his office, hunched over the computer sifting through every scrap of information on those datacards. He looked up at her when she entered, his expression a little guilty, mostly troubled. "I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep."

"I know. It's okay." She drifted behind his chair. She slipped her hands underneath his robe and began to massage the tense muscles in his neck and shoulders. "This is very bad, isn't it?"

He sighed heavily with a weariness she hadn't seen in him since they retired."It appears we're being invaded from a species from outside our galaxy, the Yuuzhan Vong. This explains some of those odd rumors we've been hearing. The New Republic and the Jedi have already had several major engagements with them that didn't turn out very well. I suspect Fey'la's trying to keep a tight lid on this. " He reached up and stilled her hands. He tugged her toward him and she moved around to sit in his lap. He held her close and stroked her hair. "I'm afraid our retirement is over, my darling."

She had been right, their quiet life was over.

TBC


End file.
